Door fastener



Oct. 28, 1 941. s. B. HASELTINE DOOR FASTENER 3 Sheets-Sheet l FiledFeb. 13, 1939 L KB Oct. 28, 1941. s. B. HASELTINE DOOR FASTENER FiledFeb. 15, 1939 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 1941- s. B. HASELTINE 2,260,519

DOOR FASTENER Filed Feb. 13, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 28,1941 DOOR FASTENER Stacy B. Haseltine, La Grange, 111., assignor to W.H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationFebruary 13, 1939, Serial No. 256,024

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in door fasteners, especiallydesigned for hinged refrigerator car doors.

One object of the invention is to provide in a rotary door operator orfastener for double hinged doors of refrigerator cars, cooperatingkeeper engaging means and keepers on the rotary door fastener and carrespectively, comprising cooperating cam members having engagement witheach other along extended surface portions, when the door is tightlyclosed, to efiectively resist any tendency of the rotary operating meansto be accidentally rotated through forces reacting between the keeperengaging means and keepers, due to outward thrust exerted on the doorthrough the compressed condition of the insulating packing material withwhich the latter are universally provided.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastener mechanismadapted for use in connection with hinged doors including a manuallyactuated rotary operating bar mounted on one of the doors and havingkeeper engaging means at opposite ends thereof cooperating with keepersfixed to the door frame above and below the door opening, wherein thekeeper engaging means at each end of the bar includes separately actingcam members rigid therewith,designedto cooperate with the correspondingkeeper to respectively force the door tightly into the door opening andpry the same open when closed, these cam memclosed, are locatedrespectively at opposite sides a of the line of outward thrust,extending through the axis of rotation of the bar, to prevent accidentalrotation and release of said bar through outwardly directed forcesexerted by the compressed insulation of the door.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from thedescription and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is afront elevational view of a pair of vertically disposed hinged doors ofa refrigerator car, illustrating my improved fastener mechanism inconnection therewith. Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view, on anenlarged scale, corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1.Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to Figure 2, but showing the parts indifferent positions assumed during successive stages of the viewssimilar to Figure 2, but showing the parts in different positionsassumed during stages of the door closing operation. Figure 8 is anelevational view, broken away, of the fastener mechanism at the lowerendof the door, illustrating another embodiment of the invention, themechanism being shown on a larger scale than the correspondingstructurein Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional View, corresponding substantially tothe line 9-9 of Figure 8.

In said drawings III designates the side wall member of a refrigeratorcar having a door opening I I therein, which is closed by a pair ofhinged doors I2 and I3. Each of the doors is provided with the usualsets of hinges I4I4 along the vertical outer edges thereof, by which thesame are swingingly supported. The door I2, which is first closed, andthe door I3 have meeting edges which are beveled and so inclined thatthe door I3 will maintain the door I2 in closed position and wedge thesame shut when the door fastening mechanism is operated. The edges ofthe two doors and the cooperating edges of the door frame structure arealso provided with the usual insulating packing material, not shown.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated inFigures 1 to 7 inclusive, my improved door fastener mechanism propercomprises broadly a locking bar A; a pair of end castings B-B; a pair ofcam plates CC, one on each end casting; a pair of cam lugs DD, one oneach cam plate C; an operating handle lever E; a pair of bearingbrackets FF; and a pair of keepers G-G with which the cam plat-es CC andthe cam lugs DD cooperate.

The operating bar A is of substantially rectangular cross section andhas the end castings B-B riveted thereto. Each end casting has a forkedportion I5 of well-known form, which embraces the flat bar A on oppositesides and has rivet members extending therethrough. Outwardly of theforked portion, each member B has a cylindrical bearing section or shaftportion I6 which is rotatably supported in the cor responding bearingbracket F. As shown in Figure 1, the bar or shaft A is verticallydisposed and two bearing brackets F-F are employed, the same beingarranged respectively adjacent the top and bottom edge portions of thedoor I3 and secured thereto in any suitable manner.

The cam plates CC are located at the top and bottom ends of the bar A,each plate being at the outer end of the cylindrical section I6 of dooropening operation. Figures 5, 6, and 7 are the corresponding end memberB and formed inis provided on the plate C, which face merges with therounded outer edge face I9 and the side edge H, which side edge ispreferably straight, said cam face being continuous with said outer edgeface and side edge. The side edge face l8, which is also substantiallystraight, has the outer end portion thereof, where it meets the roundedface, cut away, as shown, to clear the outer face or surface of thedoorwhenthe; cam plate is rotated, said cut away portion beingpreferably rounded off.

The lugs D--D project fronr the cam plates C,C' and are formed integraltherewith, the lug of the lower cam plate depending therefrom and thatof the upper cam plate upstanding, so as to properly cooperat with theupp r and lower keepers G--G respectively. Each cam lug D Q,

is located adjacent the edge |T of the corresponding cam plate C andinset with respect to the outer end edge of said plate.

As shown the curved face 2| of the lug will seat therein and snugly fitthe same when the door has been moved to tightly closed position.

At the right hand end, as seen in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, each castingG is provided with a vertical wall 30. The wall of the bottom keeperupstands from the section 24 thereof and the wall of the top keeperdepends from the same. This'wall 30 extends substantially from the sidewall of the car to the outer side of the section '24 of the keepercasting G and has its outer end section curved, thereby presenting aconcavely curved cam face 3| on its inner side. The cam face 3|terminates short of the outer end of the wall 30, said wall beingprovided on the inner side thereof with a concave seat 32 adjacent theextremity of said outer end and beyond the cam face 3|. The concave seat32 presents a face of the same curvatur as the edge face IQ of theclearly, in Figures 2 to 7 inclusive, the lug D is eccentric to the axisof rotation of the bar A and of somewhat irregular shape in horizontalsection, being elongated in the direction of the length of the plate C.The outer end face of this lug, which is indicated by 2|, is curved, asshown, the'cur vature of the same being concentric to 3 the axis ofrotation of the bar A. The inner end face of the lug D, which face isindicated by 22, is rounded off, as shown, and forms a cam face whichcooperates with the corresponding keeper G in forcing the door open.

The top and bottom keepers G-G, which are in the form of castings,securedto the side wall of the car, are of similar design, except ashere-.

inafter pointed out. Each keeper casting G in-,

cludes a base portion 23 suitably fixedto the car wall. Extending from,said base portion is a horizontally disposed section 24 having a camslot or opening 25 therein. The bottom keeper,

as shown in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, opens upwardly to properlycooperate with the keeper engaging cam lug D at the lower end of the:bar

A, and is closed at the bottom by a horizontal wall. The top keeper G,is reversely arranged with respect to the lower keeper, that is, in-

verted, so that the cam opening thereof faces downwardly to cooperatewith the upstanding cam lug D at the upper end of the bar A. The outerwall of the cam opening is cut away, as

shown, to provide a mouth 26 through which As shown, in

the leftv hand end portion of said opening. The; I

inner face of said wall 28 is curved, as shown, thereby providing aseating surface 29 on the inner side thereof for the curved outer edgeof,

the lug D. The curvature of the surface 29 corresponds to that of theouter end face 2| of the lug D and said surface 29 is so disposed thatcam .plate C, so disposed that the curved face l9 will interfi'ttherewith when the door is held in closed position by the locking bar A.

As shown in Figure 1, the keeper casting G at the bottom of the dooropening has an extended portion on which a pivoted latch'finger 33 issupported, which is adapted to engage the lower right hand corner of thedoor l2 to hold the same in closed position, a; wear plate 34 beingpreferably employed at the lower corner of this door, with which thelatch finger 33 co operates. v t

The operating handle lever E is forked at the inner end thereof, as iscommon, and is pivotally connected to the operating bar A at said forkedend, the forked portion embracing the operating bar and being connectedthereto by a pivot 35. At the outer free end, the operating lever E isprovided with the usual hand grip by which the same may be manipulated.The operating handle E is adapted to be locked, as shown in Figure 1, byany suitable locking device, as indicated by 36, and sealed in themanner customary in connection with railroad cars.

In the closed and locked position of the door, as shown in Figures 1 and2, the curved face I9 of the cam plate C is seated in the concavelycurved face of the seat 32 of the wall'39 of the. keeper G, and thecurved face 2| atthe outer end of the lug D is seated in. the concaveface 29 of the outer wall 28 of the cam opening of the keeper. By thisarrangement. of engaging faces on the keeper G and the end member B ofthe operating bar A, accidental rotation of the bar, which would effectrelease of the door from locked condition, is precluded, the respectiveen-' gaging positions of said faces being located at opposite sides ofthe axis of rotation of the bar A outwardly of the latter. A11 tendencyof the bar to be rotated through outward thrust exerted on or throughthe door is thus eliminated. The operation of the improved fastenermechanism, as shown in Figures 1 to '7 inclusive, is as follows: To openthe door I3, the handle lever E is first freed by unlocking the samefrom the latch 36. Thislever is then pulled or swung outwardly away fromthe door, thus rotating the bar in contra-clockwise direction, as seenin Figure 2. During initial rotation of the bar, the curved face IQ ofthe .cam plate- C and the curved face 2| of the lug D will be moved outof engagement with respect to .the. cooperating faces 32 and 29 of thekeeper, and the camlug D will, be rotated toward the. inclined. rearwall. 21 vof the opening, 25of the keeper. As rotation of the bar A iscontinued, the rear portion of the lug D comes into engagement with thewall 21, as shown in Figure 3, and cams the door outwardly. Thisoperation is continued until the door |3 has been pried free of the dooropening, as shown in Figure 4. In thus completing this openingoperation, the bar is rotated through approximately 180, the handlelever being swung to a position to the right of the bar A and againstthe door. With the parts in this last named position, the door is freeto be swung fully open, the lugDbeing in such a position as to passfreely through the mouth 26 of the opening 25. After the door |3 hasbeen opened and swung clear of the door I2, the latter, after release ofthe latch finger 33, may be manually swung to fully open position also.

In closing the doors, the door I2 is first swung to approximately closedposition. The door I3 is then swung inwardly to substantially theposition shown in Figure 4, the lug D entering the opening 25 throughthe mouth 26 thereof and arrest-' ing movement of the door by strikingagainst the rear wall of the keeper opening 25. The handle lever E isthen swung outwardly away from the door from right to left, as viewed inFigure 4, thereby rotating the bar A and its keeper engaging means inclockwise direction. The cam plate C is thus swung toward the wall 30 ofthe keeper and into oamming engagement with the surface portion 32 ofsaid wall, as shown in Figure 5, thereby forcing the door inwardlytoward the side wall of the car. During this rotation, the cam faceportion is active to effect said inward forcing movement, as shown inFigure 6, until the parts approachthe position shown in Figure 7,whereupon the cam face 20 leaves the cam face 3| of the wall 30 and thecurved outer edge face l9 slides onto said curved face of the seat 32.When the parts reach the position shown in Figure 7, the door has beencammed tightly closed and the face l9 slides over the concentric concaveface of the seat 32 during the remaining rotary movement of theoperating bar A. During rotary movement of the bar A beyond the positionshown in Figure '7, the cam lug D swings toward the outer wall 28 of theopening of the keeper G. During rotation of the bar beyond this lastnamed position, the cam plate C idles over the curved surface of theseat 32 of the keeper wall 30 and the lug D is moved into engagementwith the curved inner face 29 of the wall 28 of the keeper, the partsbeing finally brought to the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 and thedoor pressed tightly closed.

When the door has been thus completely closed, it is held in lockedposition by the lug D and the cam plate C being seated in theconcavities 29 and 32 of the walls 28 and 30 of the keeper G, ashereinbefore pointed out, and there is no possibility of accidentalrotary displacement of the bar A which would permit displacement of thedoor through outwardly acting forces transmitted thereto. The danger ofthe effectiveness of the seal between the door and the walls of the dooropening and between the pairs of doors being destroyed by outwarddisplacement of the doors is thus entirely eliminated and consequentloss of refrigeration avoided. As will be understood by those skilled inthis art, when the door has been forced tightly closed, as shown inFigures 1 and 2, the bar A has been rotated through an arc ofapproximately 180 and the handle lever E is in the position shown,parallel to the door, and may be locked by the latch 36 and sealed inthe usual manner.

Referring next to the embodiment of the in vention illustrated inFigures 8 and 9, the improved door fastener comprises broadly a lockingbar similar to the bar A hereinbefore described, having end castings atthe top and bottom ends, similar to the end castings B-B; cam elementsH-H at the top and bottom ends of the bar, each cam element comprisingtwo cam members in different planes; and top and bottom keepers K-K withwhich the cam elements cooperate.

The rotary operating bar employed in the embodiment of the inventionshown in Figures 8 and 9 is of the same design as the bar A hereinbeforedescribed. Only the lower end portion of this bar is disclosed in Figure8, the same being also indicated by A. The end castings, which arelocated at the top and bottom ends of the bar, are secured to the bar inthe same manner as the end castings B--B hereinbefore described. Thelower end casting of the design shown in Figures 8 and 9, which endcasting is also indicated by B, has a cylindrical bearing portionmounted in a supporting bracket secured to the door l3, the cylindricalbearing portion and the bracket shown in Figures 8 and 9 being similarto the bearing portion |6 and the bracket F hereinbefore described andalso indicated by It and F, respectively.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the cam element H is at the lower end ofthe cylindrical bearing portion l6 of the'lower end casting or member Band is formed integral therewith. This cam element H comprises camportions 40 and 4| in different horizontal planes, the cam portion 4|being located below the cam portion 40. The cam portion 4|! is in theform of a platelike member projecting laterally from the end member B,having inwardly converging side edges 42 and 43 and a curved outer endedge 44, which outer end edge is concentric to the axis of rotation ofthe bar A. The side edge 43 is substantially straight for the greaterportion of its length and has a rounded outer end section 60, curved ona relatively short radius and forming a cam edge merging with the endface 44. The side edge 42 is curved as shown to clear the rear portionof the keeper casting as the bar is rotated. The lower cam portion 4| isalso in the form of a platelike member project ing laterally from theend member B and has a curved outer end edge 45 of the same curvature asthe end edge 44 of the cam portion 40. This curved outer edge 45 is alsoconcentric with the axis of rotation of the bar A. The platelike member4| is cut away at the left hand side, as seen in Figure 9, therebyproviding a rounded or curved edge portion 46 which extends from the endof the face 45 to the rear end of said member. At the right hand side,the platelike cam portion 4| is cut away to provide a straight edge face41 parallel to the edge face 43 of the cam portion 4|], said straightedge face 41! being rounded off at opposite ends, as indicated at 43 and49, said rounded end portions merging with the straight edge face 41 andsaid curved edge portions 45 and 46, respectively. The rounded portion48 forms a camv face adapted to cooperate with the keeper in forcing thedoor open. The sections of the cam portions 40 and 4| adjacent theirstraight edges 43 and 41 overlap and are integrally joined, the outeredges 44 and 45 thus presenting, in effect, a continuous cylindricalsurface, the portions of which merge where the cam portions 40 and 4|are united.

As will be understood, the cam member H at the upper end of the bar A ofthe device shown in Figures 8 and. 9 is of the same design'as the bottomcam element H, hereinbefore described, but is inverted, that is, the camportion thereof corresponding. to the portion 4| is disposed above thecam portion corresponding to the cam. portion 40 toproperly cooperatewith the corresponding keeper K.

The .keepers K.K, the lower keeper of which only is shown in Figures 8and 9, are disposed respectively above and below the door opening andare of the same design, it being understood that the upper keeper isreversely arranged with respect to the lower keeper to properlycooperate withthe upper cam element H.

The keeper shown in Figures 8 and 9 is in the form of a casting securedto the side wall of the car. This keeper carries a latch on an extendedportion similar to' the latch 33 hereinbefore described and alsoindicated by 33. This latch cooperates with the door l2 in the samemanner as the latch 33 described in connection with Fi ures l to '7inclusive. The construction illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 is similar tothat shown in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive in that the latch is omitted inconnection with the upper keeper K.

The lower keeper K, as shown, includes a base portion 50 suitably fixedto the car wall. Extending outwardly from said base portion arehorizontally disposed, laterally spaced sections and 52, the section 5|being at a higher level than the section 52. The section 5| includes acurved vertical wall presenting a concavely curved cam face 53 on itsinner side and a'curved concave seat 54 adjacent its outer end, Thecurve of the concave surface of the seat 54 is of the same radius as theouter edge face 44 of the cam portion 40 of the'cam element. Thevertical wall of the section 5| is preferably reenforced by a horizontaltop wall or web, as shown.

The section 52 of the keeper K includes an outstanding vertical wall 55which is curved laterally toward the section 5| at its outer end, saidcurved portion presenting on its inner side a seat 56 having a concaveface of the same radius as the outer edge face 45 of the cam portion 4|of the cam element H. The curved seats 54 and 55 of the sections 5| and52' of the keeper K are so disposed that they are concentric with theaxis of rotation of the bar A when the door I3 is in the closed positionshown. The wall 55 of the keeper is preferably reenforced by a bottomweb or wall 51.

The base portion of the keeper K is further provided with a verticalback wall 58 at the inner end of the wall 55, parallel to the wall ofthe car, and at the same level as said wall 55, presenting a continuousflat abutment surface extending to that end of the keeper which carriesthe section 5|. This wall 58 forms a bearing surface for the cam plate4| of the element H during the opera tion of forcing the door open. Theupper part of the casting K is suitably reenforced at its base by anupstanding web 59. i

The operation of the cam element H in forcing the door open from thetightly closed position shown in Figures 8: and'Q-is as follows: The cammember is rotated'through 180 in a left hand I or contraclockwisedirection, as seen in Figure 8,

in unison with the bar A, thereby first disengaging the curved faces 44and 45 from the seats 54 and 5B and subsequently bringing the cam faces41, 48, and 45 successively into camming engagement with the abutmentwall 53 to cam the door l3 outwardly. As will be evident, when the 180rotation has beencompleted, the portions 40 and 4| are disposedrespectively above the section 52 and below the section 5| of thekeeper, thus clearing the entire cam element H from the cooperatingparts of the keeper and permitting the door to be swung fully open.

In closing the door |3, the same, with the cam member H in the positionlast described, is swung inwardly toward the side of the car untilarrested by engagement of the side of the cam H, carrying the face ofthe cam portion 4|, with the abutment wall 58 of the keeper. The cam His then rotated in a clockwise direction through an arc of approximately180 by rotation in unison with the bar A, thus bringing the cam face 60of the cam portion 40 into camming engagement with the curved cam face53 of the section of the keeper K to press the door inwardly and tightlyseat the same in the door opening. As rotation of the cam memberproceeds, the cam face will pass beyond the cam face 53 and the curvededge face 44 will slide into engagement with the seat 54. During finalsliding. movement of the cam face 53 along the face 54 the cam surface45 will slide onto the seat '56 of the section 52 of the keeper. Thisaction continues until the parts reach the position shown in closed andfully seated in the door opening.

As will be evident, the locking-surfaces on the cam portions 40 and 4|.of the cam H prevent rotation of the bar A- through outwardly actingforces or pressure exerted on the door, in the same manner as thelocking surfaces of the keeper engaging mechanism and keepers disclosedin connection with Figures 1 to 7 inclusive preven such rotation.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferredmanner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrativeand I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within thescope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim 1. In a door fastener, the combination with a rotaryoperatingbar mounted on the door; of a fixed keeper having an abutment wallextending lengthwise of the car and a pair of laterally spaced, inwardlyfacing abutment faces at opposite sides of a plane coincident with theaxis of rotation of said bar and normal to the door; a

cam projection on said bar engageable with said abutment wall forforcing said door outwardly; additional cam means on saidbar engageablewith said keeper for forcing the door inwardly; and a pair ofcircumferentially spaced concentric locking faces on said bar engageablewith said laterally spaced abutment faces of the keeper for holding thedoor closed.

'2. In a door fastener, the combination with a rotary operating barmounted on the door; of a fixed keeper having. an abutment wallextending lengthwise of the car; a pair of spaced seats on said keeperfacing said abutment wall; a cam means on said bar having a cam faceengageable with said abutment wall for forcing said door outwardly, anadditional cam face on said cam means engageable with said keeper forforcing the door shut; and a pair of concentric cam faces also locatedon said bar engageable respectively with said seats for locking the doorin closed position.

3. In a fastener for doors, the combination with a rotary operating b'armounted on the door; of a fixed keeper; means on said bar rotatabletherewith and having camming engagement with the keeper for forcing thedoor shut; and circumferentially spaced concentric looking faces on saidfirst named means having shouldered engagement respectively with saidkeeper at spaced zones to opposite sides of said bar and outwardlythereof for locking said door against outward displacement.

4. In a fastener for doors, the combination with a rotary operating barmounted on the door; of a fixed keeper having an inwardly curved camface facing the car wall, and a pair of concave seats also facing saidcar wall, said seats being spaced apart lengthwise of said wall; andmeans on said bar rotatable therewith for forcing said door closed andholding the same in said closed condition including an eccentric camelement having a rounded cam face engageable with said cam face of thekeeper for forcing said door inwardly, said cam element havingconcentric curved outer edge faces slidable onto said seats andengageable respectively therewith for maintaining the door in closedposition.

5. In a fastener for doors, the combination with a rotary operating baron the door; of a fixed keeper having inwardly facing spaced abutmentfaces thereon; and means on said bar rotatable therewith and engageablewith said keeper for camming the door shut, said means including aneccentric cam plate and an eccentric lug, said plate and lug havingrespectively concentric, curved locking faces engageable with the spacedabutment faces of the keeper for holding the door against outwarddisplacement.

6. In a fastener for doors, the combination with a rotary operating barmounted on the door; of a fixed keeper; and means on said bar rotatabletherewith and engageable with said keeper for camming the door open andshut, said means including an eccentric cam member comprising platesections lying in planes offset with respect to each other in adirection lengthwise of the bar, said plate sections having roundedlooking faces which are concentric and of the same curvature, saidlocking faces being engageable with the keeper at respectively spacedzones for holding said door against outward displacement.

'7. In a fastener for doors, the combination with a rotary operating barmounted on the door; of 1a fixed keeper; and means on said bar rotatabletherewith and engageable with said keeper for forcing the door outwardlywhen said bar is rotated in one direction and forcing said door inwardlywhen the bar is rotated in a reverse direction, said means including aneccentric cam member and a cam lug, said cam member and cam lug havingrespectively curved, concentric locking faces engageable with the keeperat spaced zones for holding the door against outward displacement, thecurved face of said lug being offset inwardly with respect to the curvedface of said cam member.

8. In a fastener for hinged doors of railway cars, the combination witha rotary operating bar mounted on the door; of a fixed keeper on thecar, said keeper having a pair of inwardly facing concave seats spacedlengthwise of the car, said keeper having an outwardly facing wallspaced inwardly of said seats, and a curved side wall extending inwardlyfrom one of said seats; and means on said bar rotatable therewith forforcibly camming the door outwardly and inwardly through rotation ofsaid bar respectively in reverse directions inclduing a cam lugengageable with said outwardly facing wall of the keeper forforcing'said door outwardly, an eccentric cam plate engageable with saidcurved side wall of the keeper for forcing said door inwardly, said lugand plate having curved, concentric faces thereon respectivelyengageable with said seats for holding the door against outwarddisplacement.

9. In a fastener for hinged doors of railway cars, the combination witha rotary operating bar mounted on the door; of a fixed keeper on thecar, said keeper having an outwardly facing back wall providing anabutment surface, inwardly facing seats at opposite ends of the keeper,spaced outwardly from said back wall, and a side wall extending from oneof said seats to said back Wall, said side Wall having the end thereofnearest the adjacent seat curved to provide a cam face; and means onsaid bar rotatable therewith for forcibly camming the door outwardly andinwardly through rotation of said bar respectively in reverse directionsincluding an eccentric cam plate comprising two sections, one of saidsections having a straight side edge terminating in a rounded outer endportion engageable with said back wall of the keeper for forcing saiddoor outwardly, the other section having a straight side edge providedwith a rounded cam portion at the outer end thereof

